Memory card installer

ABSTRACT

A memory card installer, comprising a main body having such a shape that can be installed on a memory card installation part provided on a device allowing a memory card to be connected thereto, an installation part allowing a plurality of memory cards to be installed thereto, device side input and output terminals connected electrically to a device side in such a state that the main body is installed on the memory card installation part, a plurality of memory card side input and output terminals connected electrically to each of the memory cards installed in the installation part, and a connection switching part switching the connection of each of the memory card side input and output terminals to the device side input and output terminals.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a memory card installer for installinga memory card generally used as a portable recording medium in order totransmit data to the memory card. More specifically, the presentinvention relates to a memory card adapter for mutually transmittingbetween a device such as a personal computer and a portable telephoneand a memory card which does not adapt to such a device, and a datatransmitter for transmitting data between the memory cards as the memorycard installer.

BACKGROUND ART

A memory card is generally used as a portable recording medium since itis simply handled and its storage capacity is comparatively large.

A personal computer as one example of an information processing devicehas a memory card installation part based on various device side memorycard connecting standards such as PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory CardInternational Association).

The memory card is installed to the memory card installation part of thepersonal computer so that various data are mutually transmitted betweenthe memory card and the personal computer.

A memory card adapter as the memory card installer enables data to bemutually transmitted between a memory card which does not adapt to thememory card connecting standard on the personal computer device side anda personal computer.

Only one memory card can be installed to a conventional memory cardadapter. In such a memory card adapter, in the case where data aretransmitted to a plurality of memory cards, memory card adapters shouldbe replaced at the memory card installation part of the personalcomputer, and thus the data transmitting operation becomes troublesome.

Further, in a personal computer, there are plural kinds of memory cardswhich do not adapt to the device side memory card connecting standard,memory card adapters corresponding to respective memory cards should beprepared, so that the cost increases and the handing of the memory cardadapters becomes troublesome.

In addition, there is not a memory card adapter, the data transmissionbetween memory cards requires a troublesome transmitting operation.

Therefore, it is a main object of the present invention to provide amemory card installer which intervenes between an information processingdevice such as a personal computer and a memory card so as to eliminatea troublesome mutual transmitting operation of data between theinformation processing device and the memory card, and handing of whichis simple.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a memory cardinstaller for transmitting data between such memory cards when no memorycard adapter exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first memory card installer of the present invention has: a main bodyhaving a shape that can be installed to a memory card installation partprovided to a device connected with a memory card; an installation partto which a plurality of memory cards are installed; a device side I/Oterminal which is electrically connected with the device side in a statethat the main body is installed to the memory card installation part; aplurality of memory card side I/O terminals which are electricallyconnected with memory cards, respectively, installed to the installationpart; and a connection switching part for switching so as to connect thememory card side I/O terminals, respective to the device side I/Oterminal.

The device includes a personal computer, an image processing device andanother information processing devices.

The memory card installer includes a memory card adapter and a datatransmitter.

According to the first invention, a plurality of memory cards can beelectrically connected with the device. For this reason, data can bemutually transmitted between the plural memory cards and the devicewithout replacing the memory card installer. As a result,troublesomeness of the mutual transmitting operation of data between thedevice and memory cards is eliminated.

In a preferable embodiment of the first invention, a memory card basedon another memory card connecting standard different from the deviceside memory card connecting standard is connected to the device via thememory card adapter, so that data can be mutually transmitted betweenthe memory cards and the device.

In this case, the data can be mutually transmitted between the pluralmemory cards based on another memory card connecting standard differentfrom the device side memory card connecting standard and the personalcomputer by one memory card adapter.

In a preferable embodiment of the first invention, the memory card sideI/O terminals may be electrically connected with plural memory cardsbased on different memory card connecting standards, respectively.

In this case, data can be mutually transmitted between the plural memorycards, which are based on a memory card connecting standard differentfrom the device side memory card connecting standard and based on memorycard connecting standards different from one another, and the personalcomputer by one memory card adapter.

In a preferable embodiment of the first invention, data convertingsections may convert data captured from one memory card via a terminalcomposed of the memory card side I/O terminals into data which adapt tothe memory card connecting standard on which another memory cardconnected to another terminal of the memory card side I/O terminals isbased so as to output the converted data to the another terminal.

In this case, data can be mutually transmitted between the memory cardsbased on different memory card connecting standards, respectively, notvia the device.

In a preferable embodiment of the first invention, the installation partmay have concave portions provided on one surface of the main body forhousing the memory cards, and a depth of the concave portions may beequivalent to or not less than a thickness of the memory cards.

In this case, since the installation part is provided to the adaptermain body, a shape of the memory card adapter can be miniaturized. Here,since the depth of the concave portions is equivalent to or not lessthan the thickness of the memory card, the memory cards housed in theconcave portions do not protrude from the surface of the adapter mainbody. For this reason, even in a state that the memory cards are housedin the concave portions, the adapter main body can be installed to amemory card connected device.

In a preferable embodiment of the first invention, the main body furtherhas a protrusion which protrudes from the device in a state that themain body is installed to the device, and the installation part isprovided to the protrusion.

In this case, since the protrusion protrudes from the device in thestate that the adapter main body is installed to the device, theprotrusion can be formed into an arbitrary size. For this reason, theinstallation part is provided to the protrusion, so that theinstallation part to which an arbitrary number of memory cards can beinstalled can be formed.

In a preferable embodiment of the first invention, a connecting part forconnecting the protrusion to the main body in a bendable state may befurther provided.

In this case, since the protrusion protrudes from the device, it isconsidered that the protrusion is intrusive during use of the memorycard adapter. On the contrary, in this embodiment, since the connectingpart is provided so as to support the protrusion in a bendable state, abending part can be bent to a nonintrusive position by the connectingpart.

A memory card installer of a second invention has: an installation partto which a plurality of memory cards are installed; and the dataconverting sections for capturing data of one memory card (atransmitting source memory card) installed to the installation part andconverting the captured data into data which adapt to a memory cardconnecting standard on which the other memory card is based (atransmitting destination memory card) so as to output the converteddata.

According to the second invention, data can be transmitted betweenmemory cards without intervention of the device.

In a preferable embodiment of the second invention, a plurality ofoutput terminals may be provided, and the data converting sections cantransmit data of the transmitting source memory card simultaneously to aplurality of the transmitting destination memory cards in order totransmit the data of the transmitting source memory card captured froman input terminal to one or plural transmitting destination memorycard(s) via an output terminal.

In this case, since the data of the transmitting source memory card canbe transmitted simultaneously to the plural transmitting destinationmemory cards, troublesomeness of the data transmission between thememory cards can be further eliminated.

In a preferable embodiment of the second invention, in a state that thetransmitting source memory card and the transmitting destination memorycard are based on different memory card connecting standards, the dataconverting sections convert the data of the transmitting source memorycard captured from the input terminal into the data which adapt to thememory card connecting standard on which the transmitting destinationmemory card is based so as to transmit the converted data to thetransmitting destination memory card via the output terminal.

In this case, since data can be transmitted between the memory cardsbased on different memory card connecting standards, accordinglytroublesomeness of the data transmission between the memory cards can befurther eliminated.

In a preferable embodiment of the second invention, a plurality ofoutput terminals which adapt to transmitting destination memory cardsbased on different memory card connecting standards are provided as theoutput terminal, and the transmitting section converts the data of thetransmitting source memory card captured from the input terminal intodata which adapt to the memory card connecting standards on which thetransmitting destination memory cards are based, respectively, so as totransmit the converted data to the transmitting destination memorycards, respectively, via the output terminals.

In this case, data can be transmitted from the transmitting sourcememory card to plural kinds of transmitting destination memory cardsbased on different connecting standards of the memory card, and sincedata can be transmitted to plural kinds of memory cards based ondifferent connecting standards, respectively, troublesomeness of thedata transmission between the memory cards can be further eliminated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance shape of a memorycard adapter according to the best embodiment (first embodiment) of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the memorycard adapter in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the memorycard adapter of FIG. 1 according to a first modified example.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the memorycard adapter of FIG. 1 according to a second modified example.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an appearance shape of the memorycard adapter of FIG. 1 according to a third modified example.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an appearance shape of a datatransmitter according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the datatransmitter in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an appearance shape of the datatransmitter according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the datatransmitter in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an appearance shape of the datatransmitter according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the datatransmitter in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing an appearance shape of the datatransmitter according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the datatransmitter in FIG. MA.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing an appearance shape of the datatransmitter according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the datatransmitter in FIG. 14.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is an appearance perspective view of a memory card adapter as amemory card installer according to the best embodiment (firstembodiment) of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagramshowing its circuit configuration.

In these drawings, MA shows a memory card adapter. The memory cardadapter MA is installed to a memory card connected equipment composed ofan information processing device such as a personal computer or an imageprocessing device.

In this embodiment, the memory card connected equipment is applied to apersonal computer A.

The personal computer A is provided with a function for enabling mutualtransmission of data between the personal computer A and a memory cardbased on general purpose memory card connecting standard (hereinafter,general-purpose connecting standard: here, PCMCIA connecting standard isused as one example).

A side surface of the personal computer A is provided with a memory cardinstallation part B.

Since the memory card based on the general-purpose connecting standardis installed to and electrically connected with the memory cardinstallation part B detachably, so as to have a slot B1 and a connectingterminal B2 provided on a portion beyond the slot B1.

The memory card adapter MA has a main body 1, and an installation part 2provided on the main body 1.

The main body 1 has an outer shape which is equivalent to a shape of amemory card (concretely, PCMCIA card) which can be inserted into thememory card installation part B of the personal computer A.

An insertion end part of the main body 1 is provided with a device sideI/O terminal 3. The device side I/O terminal 3 has a terminal array (theterminal array based on the general-purpose connecting standard[PCMCIA]) which is electrically contacted and connected with theconnecting terminal B2 of the memory card installation part B, in astate that the main body 1 is installed to the memory card installationpart B.

First and second memory cards MC1 and MC2, which are based on an anothermemory card connecting standard different from the memory card based onthe general-purpose connecting standard and are smaller than the memorycard based on the general-purpose connecting standard (plane shape andthickness are smaller), can be installed to the installation part 2.

The first and second memory cards MC1 and MC2 are based on differentmemory card connecting standards, respectively.

The installation part 2 has plural i.e., two concave portions 5 a and 5b in this example, and two memory card side I/O terminals 6 a and 6 bwhich adapt to the concave portions 5 a and 5 b.

The concave portions 5 a and 5 b have shapes such that the correspondingmemory cards MC1 and MC2 can be housed. More concretely, the concaveportions 5 a and 5 b have the planar shape which is similar to thememory cards MC1 and MC2 and a depth which is equivalent to or not lessthan a thickness of the memory cards MC1 and MC2.

One terminal 6 a of the memory card side I/O terminals 6 a and 6 b isexposed into the concave portion 5 a, and has a terminal array whichcomes in contact with and is electrically connected with the connectingterminal T1 of the first memory card MC1 in the state that the firstmemory card MC1 is installed into the concave portion 5 a.

Similarly, the other terminal 6 b of the memory card side I/O inputterminals 6 a and 6 b is exposed into the concave portion 5 b, and has aterminal array which comes in contact with and is electrically connectedwith the connecting terminal T2 of the second memory card MC2 in thestate that the second memory card MC2 is installed into the concaveportion 5 b. The memory card side I/O terminals 6 a and 6 b compose amemory card side I/O terminal group 6.

Then, a circuit configuration of the memory card adapter MA will beexplained below with reference to the block diagram of FIG. 2.

The memory card adapter MA has a connection switching part 7, a firstdata converting section 8 a, a second data converting section 8 b and athird data converting section 8 c in its inside.

The connection switching part 7 is composed of a mechanical switch or asemiconductor switch, and switches electrical connection of the memorycard side I/O terminals 6 a and 6 b to the device side I/O terminal 3.More concretely, the connection switching part 7 switches and connectsone of the memory card side I/O terminals 6 a and 6 b or both of theminto and with the device side I/O output terminal 3.

The first data converting section 8 a intervenes between the connectionswitching part 7 and the memory card side I/O terminal 6 a.

The second data converting section 8 b intervenes between the connectionswitching part 7 and the memory card side I/O terminal 6 b.

The third data converting section 8 c intervenes between the both memorycard side I/O terminals 6 a and 6 b.

The first data converting section 8 a demonstrates functions thatconvert data, which are captured from the device side I/O terminal 3into the memory card adapter MA (general-purpose connecting standarddata), into data of the memory card connecting standard on which thefirst memory card MC1 is based so as to output the converted data to thememory card side I/O terminal 6 a, and convert data, which are capturedfrom the memory card side I/O terminal 6 a into the memory card adapterMA (data of the memory card connecting standard on which the firstmemory card MC1 is based), into general-purpose connecting standard dataso as to output the converted data to the device side I/O terminal 3.

The second data converting section 8 b demonstrates functions thatconvert data, which are captured from the device side I/O terminal 3into the memory card adapter (general-purpose connecting standard data),into data of the memory card connecting standard on which the secondmemory card MC2 is based, so as to output the converted data to thememory card side I/O terminal 6 b, and convert data, which are capturedfrom the memory card side I/O terminal 6 b into the memory card adapter(data of memory card connecting standard on which the second memory cardMC2 is based), into general-purpose connecting standard data so as tooutput the converted data to the device side I/O terminal 3.

The third data converting section 8 c demonstrates functions thatconvert data, which are captured from the device side I/O terminal 6 ainto the memory card adapter MA (data of the memory card connectingstandard on which the first memory card MC1 is based), into data of thememory card connecting standard on which the second memory card MC2 isbased so as to output the converted data to the memory card side I/Oterminal 6 b, and convert data, which are captured from the memory cardside I/O terminal 6 b into the memory card adapter (data of the memorycard connecting standard on which the second memory card MC2 is based),into data of the memory card connecting standard on which the firstmemory card MC1 is based so as to output the converted data to thedevice side I/O output terminal 6 a.

Then, an operation of the memory card adapter MA will be explainedbelow.

Firstly, the first and second memory cards MC1 and MC2 are housed andinstalled into the concave portions 5 a and 5 b, respectively, so thatthe connecting terminals T1 and T2 of the first and second memory cardsMC1 and MC2 are connected electrically with the memory card side I/Oterminals 6 a and 6 b, respectively.

The memory card adapter MA into which the first and second memory cardsMC1 and MC2 are installed is inserted into the slot B1 of the memorycard installation part B of the personal computer A so that the deviceside I/O terminal 3 of the memory card adapter 21 is electricallyconnected with the connecting terminal B2 of the personal computer A.

In this state, data based on the general-purpose connecting standard(PCMCIA standard) are output from the personal computer A to the memorycard adapter 21. At this time, selection information of the memory cardis attached to the data to be output.

As a result, the connection switching part 7 to which the data aresupplied from the personal computer A selects an output destination ofthe data based on the selection information attached to the data.Namely, the connection switching part 7 selects one of the memory cardside I/O terminals 6 a and 6 b or both of them as the output destinationof the data.

The data output from the connection switching part 7 are converted intodata which adapt to the memory card connecting standard on which thememory cards MC1 and MC2 is based by the first data converting section 8a and/or the second data converting section 8 b, and the converted dataare supplied from the memory card side I/O terminals 6 a and 6 b to thecorresponding memory cards MC1 and MC2 so as to be stored there.

Meanwhile, a request for capturing the data from the memory cards MC1and MC2 is output from the personal computer A to the memory cardadapter 21. As a result, the connection switching part 7, to which therequest for capturing the data is supplied from the personal computer A,selects a data capturing destination based on capture information.Namely, the connection switching part 7 selects one of the memory cardside I/O terminals 6 a and 6 b or both of them as the data capturingdestination.

As a result, the data capturing request is output to the memory cardMC1, MC2 which is specified as the data capturing destination via theconnection switching part 7 and the memory card side I/O terminal 6 a, 6b. The memory card MC1 or MC2 or both the memory cards MC1 and MC2 whichreceive(s) the data capturing request output(s) the requested data tothe first or second data converting section 8 a, 8 b via the memory cardside input terminal 6 a, 6 b. In the first or second data convertingsection 8 a, 8 b, the input data are converted into data which adapt tothe general-purpose connecting standard (PCMCIA standard) so as to beoutput to the personal computer A via the connection switching part 7and the device side I/O terminal 3.

Furthermore, a data transmitting request between the memory cards isoutput from the personal computer A to the memory card adapter 21. Here,as one example, the explanation will be given as to the case where thedata are transmitted from the first memory card MC1 to the second memorycard MC2, but needless to say, the same explanation will be applied tothe case where the data are transmitted from the second memory card MC2to the first memory card MC1.

The data transmitting request between the memory cards is supplied tothe third data converting section 8 c as well as each memory card MC1,MC2. The first memory card MC1 to which the data transmitting request issupplied outputs the requested data to the third data converting section8 c via the device side I/O terminal 6 a.

The third data converting section 8 c converts the supplied data intodata which adapt to the memory card connecting standard on which thesecond memory card MC2 is based, then outputs the converted data fromthe memory card side I/O terminal 6 b to the second memory card MC2 andstored therein.

Another Embodiment

(1) In the case of the memory card adapter of the present invention,three or more memory card side I/O terminals may compose theinstallation part.

(2) In the case of the memory card adapter of the present invention, theembodiment can be carried out on various memory card adapters.

(3) In the case of the memory card adapter of the present invention, asshown in FIG. 3, data can be mutually transmitted between the thirdmemory cards MC3, MC3 based on the same memory card connecting standardand a memory card connecting equipment A based on the general-purposeconnecting standard. In this case, memory card side I/O terminals 6 a′and 6 b′ have the same structure. Similarly, first and second dataconverting sections 8 a′ and 8 b′ have the same structure. Moreover, thethird data converting section 8 c is not necessary.

(4) In the case of the memory card adapter of the present invention, asshown in FIG. 4, data may be transmitted between the memory cards MC4based on the general-purpose connecting standard or the like. In thiscase, memory card side I/O terminals 6 a″ and 6 b″ also have a terminalstructure based on the general-purpose connecting standard. Moreover,the first and second data converting sections 8 a and 8 b are notnecessary.

(5) In the case of the memory card adapter of the present invention, asshown in FIG. 5, a protrusion 10 is provided, and an installation part2′ may be provided on the protrusion 10. Namely, the protrusion 10protrudes from the memory card connected device A in the state that themain body 1 is installed into the memory card connected device A, andthe installation part 2′ is provided on the protrusion 10. Since theprotrusion 10 provided in such a manner protrudes from the memory cardconnected device A, the protrusion 10 can be formed so as to have anarbitrary size. For this reason, the installation part 2′ is provided onthe protrusion 10 so that the installation part 2′ into which anarbitrary number of memory cards (in the drawing, three memory cards MC5through MC7) can be installed can be formed.

Here, it is considered that the protrusion 10 which is enlarged in orderto form the large installation part 2 is intrusive during use, but inthis case, a connecting part 11, which connects the protrusion 10 andthe main body 1 in a bendable state, may be provided therebetween. Sincethe protrusion 10 may be folded along a surface of the memory cardconnected device A by the connecting part 11, even in the case of theenlarged protrusion 10, it is seldom intrusive during use.

(6) In the case of the memory card adapter of the present invention, theadapter may be constituted so that data are transmitted between thedevice side I/O terminal 3 and the memory card side I/O terminal group 6only in arbitrary direction (the device side I/O terminal 3→ memory cardside I/O terminal group 6, or the memory card side I/O terminal group 6→device side I/O terminal 3).

(7) In the case of the above-mentioned embodiment, data are transmittedbetween the memory cards based on the request for transmitting databetween the memory cards from the memory card connected device A, but aspecial power source is provided to the memory card adapter so that datacan be transmitted between the memory cards even in the state that theadapter is separated from the memory card connected device A.

The memory card adapter as such a memory card installer serves also asthe data transmitter.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the data transmitter DT.

The data transmitter DT shown in the drawings transmits data from thememory card MC1 as a data transmitting source to the memory card MC2 asa data transmitting destination, which are of different types, namely,are based on different memory card connecting standards.

Firstly with reference to FIG. 6, the data transmitter DT has a casetype main body 21 which is portable and has a rectangular flat plateshape.

A transmitting source memory card installation part 22, a transmittingdestination memory card installation part 23A, a data converting section28A and a drive power source 29 are housed in the main body 21.

The transmitting source memory card installation part 22 has a concaveportion 24 for installing the transmitting source memory card MC1.

The concave portion 24 is provided on one end surface 21 a on one endside of the main body 21.

The concave portion 24 has a shape such that an end of an I/O terminalforming end B of the transmitting source memory card MC1 can be fitted,and a part beyond it is provided with an input terminal 25 which isconnected electrically with an I/O terminal A1 of the transmittingsource memory card MC1.

The transmitting destination memory card installation part 23A has aconcave portion 26A for installing the transmitting destination memorycard MC2.

The concave portion 26A is provided on one surface 21 b of the main body21.

The concave portion 26A has a planar shape which conforms with a planarshape of the transmitting destination memory card MC2, and thetransmitting destination memory card MC2 can be housed therein. A bottomportion of the concave portion 26A is provided with an output terminal27A which is connected electrically with the I/O terminal A2 of thetransmitting destination memory card MC2.

With reference to FIG. 7, the data converting section 28A captures dataof the transmitting source memory card MC1 via the input terminal 25,and converts the captured data of the transmitting source memory cardMC1 into data which adapt to the memory card connecting standard onwhich the transmitting destination memory card MC2 is based so as tooutput the converted data to the output terminal 27A.

The drive power source 29 supplies a power source for performing such adata transmitting operation to the data converting section 28A. Thedrive power source 29 is composed of a button battery or the like.

In the data transmitter having the above structure, when a switch, notsown, is turned on in the state that the transmitting source memory cardMC1 is installed to the transmitting source memory card installationpart 22 and the transmitting destination memory card MC2 is installed tothe transmitting destination memory card installation part 23A, the dataconverting section 28A captures the data from the transmitting sourcememory card MC1 and converts the data into data which adapt to thememory card connecting standard on which the transmitting destinationmemory card MC2 is based. The converted data are output to thetransmitting destination memory card MC2 via the output terminal 27A soas to be recorded therein.

(7) There will be explained below another data transmitter of thepresent invention with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.

The data transmitter DT basically has the similar structure to (6), andthe same reference numerals are given to the same or similar parts, anddetailed explanation thereof is omitted.

The data transmitter DT is constituted so as to transmit data from thetransmitting source memory card MC1 simultaneously to pluraltransmitting destination memory cards MC2 which are of the same type,namely, are based on the same memory card connecting standard.

The data transmitter DT has a plurality of transmitting destinationmemory card installation parts 23B, 23C. The transmitting destinationmemory card installation parts 23B, 23C have concave portions 26B, 26Cand output terminals 27B, 27C.

The structures of the concave portions 26B, 26C and the output terminals27B and 27C are similar to the structures of the concave portion 26A andthe output terminal 27A in (1), and the transmitting destination memorycards MC2 and MC2 of the same type are installed to the transmittingdestination memory card installation parts 23B and 23C.

The output terminals 27B and 27C are connected to a data convertingsection 28B in parallel.

The data converting section 28B captures data of the transmitting sourcememory card MC1 via the input terminal 25, and converts the captureddata into data which adapt to the memory card connecting standard onwhich the transmitting destination memory card MC2 is based so as tooutput the converted data to the output terminals 27B and 27C.

In the data transmitter DT, the data of the transmitting source memorycard MC1 can be simultaneously transmitted to one or plurality of thetransmitting destination memory cards MC2 and MC2.

(8) FIG. 10 is an appearance perspective view of still another datatransmitter of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a block diagramshowing its circuit configuration.

The data transmitter DT is constituted so as to transmit data from thetransmitting source memory card MC1 to plural transmitting destinationmemory cards MC3 and MC4 which are of different types, namely, are basedon different memory card connecting standards.

For this reason, the data transmitter DT has transmitting destinationmemory cards installation parts 23D and 23E and data converting sections28C and 28D which adapt to the transmitting destination memory cards MC3and MC4, respectively.

The transmitting destination memory card installation parts 23D and 23Ehave concave portions 26D and 26E having a shape such that thetransmitting destination memory cards MC3 and MC4 can be housed, andoutput terminals 27D and 27E which are electrically connected with theI/O terminals A2 of the transmitting destination memory cards MC3 andMC4.

The data converting sections 28C and 28D are provided correspondingly tothe transmitting destination memory cards MC3 and MC4.

The data converting section 28C converts the data of the transmittingsource memory card MC1 captured from the input terminal 25 into datawhich adapt to the memory card connecting standard on which thetransmitting destination memory card MC3 is based so as to output theconverted data to the output terminal 27D.

Similarly, the data converting section 28D converts the data of thetransmitting source memory card MC1 captured from the input terminal 25into data which adapt to the memory card connecting standard on whichthe transmitting destination memory card MC4 is based so as to outputthe converted data to the output terminal 27E.

In the data transmitter DT having such a structure, the data of thetransmitting source memory card MC1 can be simultaneously transmitted toone or plurality of the transmitting destination memory cards MC3 andMC4 based on different memory card connecting standards.

(9) FIG. 12 is an appearance perspective view of still another datatransmitter of the present invention, and FIG. 13 is a block diagramshowing its circuit configuration.

The data transmitter DT is constituted so as to transmit data to atransmitting destination memory card MC5 type of which is the same asthat of the transmitting source memory card MC1.

This data transmitter has a transmitting destination memory cardinstallation part 23F. The transmitting destination memory cardinstallation part 23F has a concave portion 26F in which thetransmitting destination memory card MC5 (the type is the same as thatof the transmitting source memory card MC1) can be housed, and an outputterminal 27F which is electrically connected with an I/O terminal A2 ofthe transmitting destination memory card MC5. A data converting section28E captures data of the transmitting source memory card MC1 from theinput terminal 25 so as to output the data to the output terminal 27F.

In the data transmitter DT having such a structure, data can betransmitted between the transmitting source memory card MC1 and thetransmitting destination memory card MC5, types of which are the same.

(10) FIG. 14 is an appearance perspective view of still another datatransmitter of the present invention, and FIG. 15 is a block diagramshowing its circuit configuration.

The data transmitter DT is constituted so as to transmit datasimultaneously to a plurality (in this embodiment, two as the example)of transmitting destination memory cards (transmitting destinationmemory cards are the same type) MC5, MC5.

This data transmitter has plural transmitting destination memory cardinstallation parts 23G and 23H. The transmitting destination memory cardinstallation parts 23G and 23H have concave portions 26G and 26H andoutput terminals 27G and 27H, respectively.

The structures of the concave portions 26G and 26H and the outputterminals 27G and 27H are the same as those of the concave portion 26Fand the output terminal 27F, and the same type of the transmittingdestination memory cards MC5, MC5 are installed to the transmittingdestination memory card installation parts 23G and 23H, respectively.

Further, the output terminals 27G and 27H are connected to a dataconverting section 28F in parallel.

The data converting section 28F captures data of the transmitting sourcememory card MC1 via the input terminal 25, and outputs the data to theoutput terminals 27G and 27H.

In the data transmitter having such a structure, data of thetransmitting source memory card MC1 can be simultaneously transmitted toone of or plurality of the transmitting destination memory cards MC5,MC5.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, in an information processing devicesuch as a personal computer, the invention can be applied to a memorycard adapter for transmitting data between a memory card and theinformation processing device and between memory cards.

What is claimed is:
 1. A memory card installer, comprising: a main bodyhaving a shape that can be installed to a memory card installation partprovided to a device configured to be connected with a memory card; aninstallation part configured to allow a plurality of memory cards to beinstalled; a device side I/O terminal which is configured to beelectrically connected with a device side in a state that said main bodyis installed to said memory card installation part; a plurality ofmemory card side I/O terminals which are configured to be electricallyconnected with memory cards, respectively, installed to saidinstallation part; and a connection switching part for switching so asto connect said memory card side I/O terminals, respectively, to saiddevice side I/O terminal, wherein: said device side I/O terminal iselectrically connected to said device in a connecting state which isbased on a device side memory card connecting standard carried out inthe device, a plurality of memory cards which are based on anothermemory card connecting standard different from the device side memorycard connecting standard are installed to said installation part, saidmemory card side I/O terminals are electrically connected to the memorycards, respectively, in a connecting state based on said another memorycard connecting standard in the state that said memory cards areinstalled to said installation part, and the memory card data installerfurther comprising data converting sections having a function forconverting data captured from said device via said device side I/Oterminal into data based on said another memory card connecting standardso as to output the converted data to said memory card side I/Oterminals, respectively, and/or a function for converting data capturedfrom said memory cards via said memory card side I/O terminals,respectively, into data based on said device side memory card connectingstandard so as to output the converted data to said device side I/Oterminal, wherein said memory card side I/O terminals are electricallyconnected with a plurality of memory cards having different memory cardconnecting standards, respectively, and wherein said data convertingsections convert data captured from one memory card via a terminalcomposed of said memory card side I/O terminals into data which adapt tothe memory card connecting standard on which another memory cardconnected to another terminal of said memory card side I/O terminals isbased, so as to output the converted data to said another terminalwithout providing the converted data to the device side I/O terminal. 2.A memory card installer, comprising: a main body having a shape that canbe installed to a memory card installation part provided to a deviceconfigured to be connected with a memory card; an installation partconfigured to allow a plurality of memory cards to be installed; adevice side I/O terminal which is configured to be electricallyconnected with a device side in a state that said main body is installedto said memory card installation part; a plurality of memory card sideI/O terminals which are configured to be electrically connected withmemory cards, respectively, installed to said installation part; and aconnection switching part for switching so as to connect said memorycard side I/O terminals, respectively, to said device side I/O terminal,wherein said main body further has a protrusion which protrudes fromsaid device in a state that said main body is installed to said device,and said installation part is provided to said protrusion, furthercomprising a connecting part for connecting said protrusion to said mainbody in a bendable state, said connecting part allowing said protrusionto be folded along a surface of the main body while the protrusion is ina state of protruding from said device.
 3. A memory card installer,comprising: an installation part to which a plurality of memory cardsare installed; and data converting sections for capturing data of atransmission memory card installed to said installation part andconverting the captured data into data which adapt to a memory cardconnecting standard on which a destination memory card is based so as tooutput the converted data, wherein said installation part has an inputterminal which is electrically connected to said transmission memorycard and an output terminal which is electrically connected to saiddestination memory card, wherein: said transmission memory card and saiddestination memory card are based on different memory card connectingstandards, and said data converting sections convert the data of saidtransmission memory card captured from said input terminal into the datawhich adapt to the memory card connecting standard on which saiddestination memory card is based so as to transmit the converted data tosaid destination memory card via said output terminal, and wherein: aplurality of output terminals which adapt to plurality of destinationmemory cards based on different memory card connecting standards areprovided as said output terminal, said section data converting sectionsconvert the data of said transmission memory card captured from saidinput terminal into data which adapt to the memory card connectingstandards on which a plurality destination memory cards are based,respectively, so as to simultaneously transmit the converted data tosaid destination memory cards, respectively, via said plurality ofoutput terminals.